He has the talent, now all Embye needs is luck

27 June 2018Written by Jeff Collerson

EMBYE's lack of early pace means he needs luck in running but the Ruth Matic-trained youngster looks to have too much talent for his rivals in tonight's (Wednesday's) Ladbrokes Maiden Final at Wentworth Park.

The 520m Ladbrokes is tonight's feature race and in last week's heats Embye came from sixth at the first turn to defeat pacemakers Winsome Bossman and Zipping Knocka in 30.21sec.

Despite being well back early, Embye finished one-and-a-half lengths ahead of Winsome Bossman so has "plenty'' on his rivals tonight, with Fancy Irene having taken 30.58 to win the other heat.

Fancy Irene veered left at the start when she won her heat from box six so could "make'' tonight's race for Embye.

Fancy Irene has box three and is likely to present Embye, drawn outside her in box four, with a clear passage in the charge to the crucial first turn.

Takahi Storm gets the chance to break through for his first WP win after drawing box one in race 10, the 520m fifth grade Ladbrokes Multimaker Stakes.

Takahi Storm had failed to show up in two WP starts before producing a much improved effort to finish second to dual city winner Winlock Huddy in a harder race there last Wednesday.

Joe Bertinato, trainer of Takahi Storm said: "He has always had ability but is a big 36kg dog and is only now beginning to reach his peak.

"Takahi Storm jumped much better than usual last week and I was more than happy with his performance.

"He had box four then, and as he is desperate for an inside alley he should go close to winning if he begins cleanly again.

"Box one is perfect because Takahi Storm won't leave the rails.''

Nana's Habit should only need to repeat her Richmond win on June 15 to take out tonight's ninth event, a 520m fifth grade.

Nana's Habit has clocked 29.99sec at WP and is the only greyhound in tonight's race which has broken the 30sec barrier at headquarters.

On June 15 the Frank Anderson-trained greyhound led throughout over the Richmond 535m trip, jumping from box four and defeating a smart field which included Ella Enchanted, a sizzling 29.48 Wenty winner.

"Nana's Habit finished last in a subsequent race at Richmond last Friday but she had box eight in that and was never out of trouble,'' the trainer's son Luke Anderson said.

"She got into so much bother we were going to abandon nominating her for this week's WP meeting but on Saturday morning, a few hours after the Richmond race, Nana's Habit was jumping out of her skin again.

"Nana's Habit fell out of love with Wentworth Park last time she was in training but is a different, and much better greyhound now.''

The Jodie Lord-trained consistent front-runner has registered two wins, three seconds and three thirds from a dozen WP races and although she has box six tonight she has a good record from this draw.

Champion Model has won three of her six appearances while wearing the green jacket and showed she was in good form by finishing second to Ritza Millie in a far tougher Free-For-All at WP last Wednesday night.

Champion Model has already taken out the tough Canberra and Goulburn Cup finals and possesses the reliable box manners and early pace to lead throughout tonight.

She will be chasing her 18th win in 41 starts, a telling statistic considering she has tackled top notch opposition for most of her career.